Government officials criticize Israeli-Arab lawmaker for using Palestinian Embassy services

Government officials in Jerusalem have sharply criticized Arab Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi, who arrived in Romania this morning (24.3.16) for a scheduled trip of a few days, due to the fact that he took advantage of the services of the Palestinian Embassy in Bucharest rather than using the services of the Israeli embassy, in arranging the various details and meetings planned for his visit.

Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem were updated by their Romanian colleagues about Tibi’s planned visit to Romania and about the fact that he would use the services of the Palestinian embassy.

Diplomatic officials in Jerusalem said that this serves as further proof that there are Israeli-Arab Knesset Members who adopt a policy of defiance against the State of Israel.

In response to this report, Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi said that he had been invited by representatives of the Palestinian Federation in Romania and thus he did not speak with the Israeli embassy in Bucharest. He said that he had received all the approval necessary for his trip from the Knesset’s Ethics Committee and he stressed that this was not the first time that he has held diplomatic meetings abroad with the services of Palestinian missions.